Private Quarters: Inside the Governor's Mansion

Home and Garden

Private Quarters: Inside the Governor's Mansion

Moving into the Governor's Mansion was a simple matter for Gov. Nathan Deal and first lady Sandra Deal. The mansion was fully furnished with many historical pieces.

Many of the furnishings in the Governor's Mansion are museum quality and from the Federal Period (1780-1820); they are part of a permanent collection that belongs to the state.

The family sitting room, known as the Georgia room, is a frequent spot for meetings, and the first lady likes the intimate feel of the space, which has butternut paneling. The room contains a signed first edition of "Gone With the Wind," and pieces from the mansion columns recovered after a 1975 tornado.

First edition books by Georgia authors fill the shelves of the library. Other special pieces in the library include a mahogany card table made in Philadelphia (circa 1815) with serpent legs that once belonged to Declaration of Independence signer George Walton, the fourth governor of Georgia.

In the entryway of the mansion, a Tennessee marble floor is embedded with a bronze state seal. A Gorham sterling silver punch bowl from the USS Georgia, presented by Gov. Joseph Terrell to President Theodore Roosevelt, is on the table.

The Italian marble fireplace mantle in the state drawing room was made in England in 1790.

The structure was built in 1967. It has 30 rooms with about 24,000 square feet on 18 acres. There are eight bedrooms.

A crimson sofa sits in the state drawing room.

First lady Sandra Deal (right) stands in the kitchen of the Governor's Mansion with chef Holly Chute. The kitchen was updated by former first lady Mary Perdue, who replaced Formica countertops and cabinets with stainless steel Viking appliances and a large island.

Paintings by Mary Deal, Gov. Nathan Deal's late mother, hang in a bedroom.

The Deals typically entertain in the dining room once or twice a week. The mahogany dining table can seat 18.

When the Deals are not entertaining, two Cabbage Patch dolls made in the likeness of Gov. Deal and the first lady, sit in the dining room. They are named John Nathan and Emily Sandra (pictured).

Terraces and a fountain are surrounded by sculptures representing the four seasons. "We lived here a whole month before I knew it was out here," says the first lady.

The chandelier is made from a modern American chandelier and a 19th century Italian chandelier salvaged from the former Standard Club in Atlanta.

A portrait of George Washington dates to 1778.

First lady Sandra Deal moved a framed needlepoint of George Washington to a more visible spot so visitors could see the skilled handiwork.

The first lady's favorite architectural elements are the 30 Doric columns around the porches of the brick mansion. The columns are 24 feet tall and made from California redwoods.

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Moving into the Governor's Mansion was a simple matter for Gov. Nathan Deal and first lady Sandra Deal. The mansion was fully furnished with many historical pieces.

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